Folding chair



R. K. MERRILL FOLDING CHAIR Feb. 10, 1942.

Filed July 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l il l| nani.. i

Ralph Hra-ll R. K. MERRILL FOLDING CHAIR Feb. 1o, 1942.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1959 Patented Feb. 10, 1942 FOLDING CHAIR Ralph K. Merrill, Grandv Rapids, lVIich., assigner to American Seating Company, Grand. Rapids, `Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 2s, 1939, serial No. 287,029

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to folding chairs and more particularly to .folding chairs of metal construction.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide a folding chair whose pivotally connected frames may be folded together and whose seat may be folded between the sides of the frames in a single operation; to provide a folding chair of the X-type having pivotally connected frames and a seat having a pivotal connection with one frame and a sliding connection with the other frame; to provide such a yfolding chair having simple and economical sliding connections between the seat and one of the chair frames; and, to provide a folding chair which vis sturdy in construction, attractive in appearance and economical in manufacture.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the folding chair in its unfolded position for occupancy;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same, the folded positions of the seat and rear frame relative to the front frame being indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of parts thereof on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of said parts on line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a. stud member per se adapted for installation on a chair seat of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3 of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 'l is a sectional view thereof on line 'l-l of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view thereof on lines 8-8 of Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to these drawings in which like parts of the structure are designated by the same numerals in the several views, and referring firstly to Figures 1-5`inclusive, the folding chair there shown comprises an inverted U-shaped channel frame IIl forming spaced front legs II, and having a chair back I2 secured to the upper portion of the channel frame I in any suitable manner.

A second U-shaped frame I3 forms spaced rear legs I4 connected at their lower ends by the medial portion I of this frame I3, the spaced rear legs I4 being pivotally connected at I6 to the front legs II respectively. It will be noted that the pivots I6 are located intermediate the ends of the legs of both frames.

'"A seat' I'I provided witha lateral peripheral flange' I8 is .pivotally connected at I9 to the upper end portions 20 of the rear legs I4, said .pivots I9 being thus located above the'pivots I6 and forwardly of the'front legsII of the chair. The lateral peripheral ange I8 ofthe seat Il is provided with circular apertures 2| therein on oppositesides of the seat vI'I and rearwardly of the pivots I9. 'v

Stud member generally designated 22 are provided with'langes Z3 secured as by spot welding to the inner surfaces of the lateral flange or side .wall I8 of the hollow seat Il, said membersV 22 having studs or spindle lportions .'24 extending through the circular apertures 2| in the ange I8 andintojthe'channels inthe front legs .II of the chair, in which channels the studs 24 are turnably and slidably movable during the folding or unfolding of the chair.

Folding of the chair from its position of use shown in full lines in Figure 2 to its folded position shown in dotted lines in the same view is accomplished by tilting the chair slightly forwardly on its front legs II and then raising the seat I'I at the rear edge thereof. Studs 24 are thus moved upwardly in the front leg channels and the upper portions 2U of the rear legs I4 are swung rearwardly while the lower portions of the rear legs I4 are swung forwardly as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. The seat Il and U- shaped frame I3 are thus swung between the front legs II of the chair and the chair is thus compactly folded.

A cross bar 25 secured as by rivets 26 interjacent the front legs II serves as a stop for the lowering movement of the rearward portion of the seat Il, thus limiting the unfolding movement of the chair to proper position. This cross bar 25 further serves to strengthen the inverted U-shaped frame I 0 and in like manner a cross -brace 2l secured interjacent the front legs II as by rivets 28 further strengthens the frame I0. A V-shapedstrut 29. has its vertex in abutment against the medial portion I5 of the U-shaped -frame I3 and has its opposite ends secured as by rivets 30 between the rear legs I4 of the chair to thus strengthen the frame I3.

Rubber feet 3| are preferably provided for the lower extremities of the front legs I I of the chair.

In the modified' form of the invention shown in Figures 6-8 inclusive, the studs 241 have diametrically opposite projections 32 on the outer ends thereof. When this chair is assembled the studs 241 are inserted into the front leg channels while the seat is held slightly rotated from its folded position. In other words, the seat is held parallel to the frame I with one of the studs 241 lower than the opposite stud. As shown in dotted lines in the upper portion of Figure 'I and during the aforesaid assembly, the projections 32 on the outer ends of the studs 241 easily enter the front leg channels between retaining walls 33 formed by the laterally flanged marginal edges of the side flanges 34 of the front legs I I.

As the seat I'l is lowered to its unfolded position of use as indicated in dotted lines in the lower portion of Figure 7, studs 241 rotate relative to the front legs Il of the chair and the projections 32 engage behind the retaining walls 33. The studs 241 are thus positively prevented from slipping out of the front leg channels when the chair is in use.

It will thus be seen that the folding chair herein shown and described maybe readily folded or unfolded in a single operation, that'the sliding connections between the seat and front legs of the chair are effective and at the same time simple and economical in construction, and that the chair is sturdy in construction and attractive in appearance.

While but two specic embodiments of the invention have been'herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is dened by the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. A folding chair comprising a frame forming a back support and a pair of laterally spaced front legs having in their inner sides channels extending longitudinally thereof, the side walls of the channels having mutually approaching anges; a second frame forming a pair of laterally spaced rear legs disposed between the pair of front legs and pivotally connected thereto medially of the length of said pairs; a seat pvotally connected to the inner sides of the rear legs adjacent the upper ends thereof and having at its sides spindles extending into the channels, turnable and slidable therein and having transaxially extending projections, the spindles being freely movable into and out of the channels in one turned position of the spindles relatively to the front legs, and held in another turned position against removal from the channels by the engagement of said projections with said flanges;

and a stop secured adjacent the inner side of each of the spaced front legs below the seat.

2. A folding chair comprising a frame forming aback support and a pair of laterally spaced front legs having in their inner sides channels extending longitudinally thereof; a second frame forming a pair of laterally spaced rear legs disposed between the pair of front legs and pivotally connected thereto medially of the length of said pairs; a hollow seat pivotally connected to the inner sides of the rear legs adjacent the upper ends thereof and having side walls with apertures therethrough and hollow spindles having at their inner ends radial flange portions secured to the inner sides of said side walls and circular outer end portions extending through said apertures into the channels respectively and turnable and slidable therein in the folding and unfolding of the chair frames; and a stop secured adjacent the inner side of each of the spaced front legs below the seat.

RALPI-IK. MERRILL. 

